Yale Set To Open Ivy League Play

Apr 06, 2006

April 6, 2006

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -
After an up-and-down pre-Ivy schedule, the Yale women's tennis team opens league play this weekend when they host Penn and Princeton. The Bulldogs (5-6, 0-0) are looking to improve on last year's 3-4 league record, which netted them a tie for fourth in the Ancient Eight.

The Bulldogs have already drawn national attention this season, with Rashmee Patil getting an invite to the ITA's All-American tournament, one of three major NCAA individual events, in the fall. Patil and captain Olivia Nix also garnered a No. 15 doubles ranking in the East Region fall rankings.

The Pennsylvania Quakers, who invade New Haven on Friday, will certainly contend for the Ancient Eight crown this season. Ranked No. 42 in the country and with a win against Princeton already under their belts, the Quakers present a tough opening match for Yale. In addition to Penn, three-time defending league champion and No. 19 Harvard boasts two nationally ranked players in No. 70 Melissa Anderson and No. 82 Else O'Riain, and will certainly contend for the league title this season as well. Anderson and O'Riain are also ranked No. 4 in the country in doubles.

With a recent 5-2 win aganst UMass and several tough matches against solid teams over spring break, however, the Bulldogs are looking to upend the Quakers and Cantabs. Lindsey Dashiell and Janet Kim have already amassed a 6-1 doubles record thus far this spring playing in the No. 3 slot, and the No. 2 team of Nix and Patil have an impressive 8-2 record. No. 6 Lilian Nguyen has been solid in singles play, with a 5-2 record, and with a deep lineup--five players have played multiple seeds already this year--the Bulldogs are definitely poised to contend for an Ivy League title.

Yale kicks off its Ivy League schedule on Fri., Apr. 7 at 2:30 p.m. against Penn, and faces off against Princeton on Sat., Apr. 8 at 12:30 p.m.